Author Topic: Replacing the LCD-Backlight(EL-Foil) on Neutrik A1, Edit: New Display wanted  (Read 2034 times)

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Offline Martin72Topic starter

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Hi,
I thought it might be helpful for others if I described how to change the backlight of an older LCD display, in this case of an audio analyzer system, Neutrik A1.
At first I didn't know that its display is illuminated... :-X
I came across it by chance in the manual, because the switch-off after a few minutes was described there - with my A1 I had never seen anything light up... ???
But in fact, when it is completely dark in the room, you can see a very faint glow... ;)
LCD-Display is a 5.3" one from Optrex and the backlight is realized with a EL-foil...
Afaik EL-foil get several advantages, e.g. ultra-thin, but at least two disadvantages:
-Must be driven with "high voltage" (appx 100V/400hz)
-Lifetime....1000...2000hrs
It gets darker and darker until at the end only a barely perceptible glow remains...Aha. ;)
The display-module is obsolete and EL-foils are rare but I had luck and find one very similar here:

https://www.backlight4you.com/EL-Panels/EL-Replacements/EL-Panel-pink-white-77mm-x-140mm-laminated::839.html

This store specializes in backlighting, including hard to get ones, very nice.
Yesterday the foil arrived and I´ve started to disassemble the frontpanel of the analyzer.
Tomorrow it should be finished..

edit: link to shop fixed.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2024, 08:00:10 pm by Martin72 »
 

Offline inse

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Further disadvantage: very low efficiency.
And 100V 400Hz is surely beneficial in an audio analyzer, no?
 

Offline Martin72Topic starter

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I think the engineers at Neutrik were aware of this. ;)

Offline tooki

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Nice!

That reminds me that it's still on my to-do list to replace the EL backlight on my Keithley 197A...

P.S. FYI, in English, the word "foil" exclusively means very thin sheets of metal; for any non-metal material, it is a "film" or "sheet".  ("Film" also has the second meaning of "coating", e.g. a thin layer of one thing on a substrate. In this case, you'd typically use "film" even for metals, like in metal resistors, where a thin film of metal is used, or in antireflective lens coatings, where thin films of minerals and metals are applied.)
 

Offline Martin72Topic starter

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Type "Leuchtfolie" in the deepl translator, it shows two possibilities, foil and film.

Offline tooki

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Type "Leuchtfolie" in the deepl translator, it shows two possibilities, foil and film.
So what? The output of a machine translation system, no matter how good, is not an authority on anything, and is more likely to be wrong than a human translator.

And in this case, it is wrong. Yes, "Folie" can be translated into "film" and "foil", but the ML doesn't know when to use each. Or it's been trained using non-native translations, which themselves are often wrong. (Can you find examples of the phrase "luminous foil" that deepl spit out? Yes. Are those on native English sites? Nope.)

English is my native language, and I also have looked this up before to be 100% sure. What I told you is correct.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2023, 05:35:59 pm by tooki »
 

Online themadhippy

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Quote
English, the word "foil" exclusively means very thin sheets of metal
nope,it can also mean several other things that have nothing to do with metal
 

Offline Martin72Topic starter

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So...
The new light (  ;) ) is assembled - Well...the light is very descent, but the difference is remarkable.
Am I happy now? Not at all, look at the pic, I think I must clean the contacts... :P
Or must adjust the panel before assembling together, before there were no blanks visible.

« Last Edit: January 15, 2023, 06:02:32 pm by Martin72 »
 

Offline tooki

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Quote
English, the word "foil" exclusively means very thin sheets of metal
nope,it can also mean several other things that have nothing to do with metal
We're not talking about the entirely unrelated words (like to "foil an evil plot" or the related noun "a foil" i.e. something that thwarts something else). In terms of very thin sheets, the point here, "foil" can't be used for non-metal materials. Go look it up, I'll wait!
 

Offline tooki

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Am I happy now? Not at all, look at the pic, I think I must clean the contacts... :P
Or must adjust the panel before assembling together, before there were no blanks visible.
Try using a piece of sticky tape (Kapton is ideal) to lift all dust from the rubber zebra strips. I've had good luck with that method. (The PCB contacts of course just wipe with lint-free cloth and alcohol.)
 
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Offline Martin72Topic starter

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Re: Replacing the LCD-Backlight(EL-Foil) on Neutrik A1, a short Repairstory..
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2023, 03:51:55 pm »
Fu....
Opened it again and indeed, there was some dust/crumbles on the zebra strips.
Took them away with tape, cleaning the pcb contacts with isopropanol, reassembled it....Worser than before... :P
Now it´s open again and I have to think what´s the matter, my suspicion is the tape used for the lighting.
It is quite thick, thicker than what was stuck before.
Before the exchanging everything was fine, never touch a running...

Offline Martin72Topic starter

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Re: Replacing the LCD-Backlight(EL-Foil) on Neutrik A1, a short Repairstory..
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2024, 07:59:04 pm »
In the end, I bought a used display that works better, but its backlight is also almost at the end.
A completely new display would be best, but that's where the problems begin.
5.3”, 256x128 dots and 4 bit parallel port....
Not to be found.
The stupid thing is, at the time the displays were ‘naked’ and only had columns and line controllers on board.
So it is here too.
On the A1 is a Z80 processor which in turn drives a SED1330F - and that controls the display via the 4 bits.
I would like to use a modern display, but I don't know how to connect it to the SED1330F.
I'm sure you would need some kind of converter in between, that's beyond my knowledge in the display area. ;) :P

Offline coromonadalix

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datasheet attached, should be like this

you seems to have a controller less display,  column and row drivers only

on ali  i did saw you could replace your backlight with some "cuttable" ones ?? 

and for a subst display  on Ebay they start at 100$ usd   outch

theses :   are supposed to be equivalent ??
PG256128C
PG256128ERS-CNN-H
EG4401S-FR-1
DMF6104N

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164903212712?   
« Last Edit: December 02, 2024, 09:50:03 pm by coromonadalix »
 
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Offline Martin72Topic starter

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Hi,

Quote
you seems to have a controller less display,  column and row drivers only

Yep, see my post before.
I also know the datasheets and the prices for the so-called replacement types are steep.

Optrex Replacement


Offline coromonadalix

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try the posted numbers, some are less expensives ...

alas prices have become  crazy as ..... 

i paid 25$ usd  for 256x128, and 37$ for 320x240 ones    before covid       :palm:     good luck

unless finding ones with the SED controller on them and do some magic  directly from the z80 mcu    :palm:

this one on ALI ?   a 5vdc  backlight ??

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805232721356.html?


a search on ebay.de ?
https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=RT256128A-1&_sacat=0

dmf682anf on ALI      97 euros ??
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255800807401192.html?
« Last Edit: December 04, 2024, 02:43:59 am by coromonadalix »
 
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